There are no stupid questions when learning from your peers

Being able to share this experience with people on the same journey, in an environment where we could openly exchange insights, strategies and solutions, was a hugely positive exercise. I was reminded that everyone brings something valuable to the table, whether it is a new perspective, innovative ideas or pitfalls and lessons learned from their own successes (and failures). As the old adage says “you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” and this was our first opportunity in four years to come together in person. Alongside a healthy dose of competitive scavenger hunting, meeting with my terrific colleagues reminded me of the importance of building a support system, embracing opportunities to collaborate and being open to see challenges and opportunities from diverse perspectives. 

It is for the above reasons that the junior lawyers in our team are launching an exciting new network – A&O’s Employment Law Exchange – a series of engaging and accessible networking workshops for in-house employment lawyers, HR and ER professionals. At these workshops, we will discuss everything from the basics to best practice. This will be a wonderful opportunity to deliver some peer-to-peer learning. When speaking to Charlotte Short, one of the team putting the network together, she mentioned: “we are looking to create an environment where there are no stupid questions – you can just come keen to learn and share your experiences with others”.

The first interactive session, entitled “Employment Tribunal Essentials: Dealing with Litigants in Person, Internal Stakeholders and Counsel”, launches on 14 November 2023 and will be followed by networking and refreshments. I would be delighted to see as many of you attend as possible – there will be something for everyone! Please contact my colleague Melanie Arnold to sign up to the network and find out more about our upcoming events.